Important Safety Tips for Your Tractor

Tractors are an essential piece of equipment and it’s important to act with caution for the safety of yourself, and your machine. If you’re needing a refresher on tractor safety, or you're a first-time buyer, we’ve put together some helpful advice below. If you’re still in need of a tractor feel free to stop by one of our dealerships in Ste. Genevieve and Leadington, Montana! 

Inspect

Take a look at what you’re wearing before you take your tractor for a spin. Do your clothes provide protection or are they a safety hazard? If you’ve got anything long and dangling like hair, jewelry, or skirts, it’s possible to get it caught in your machine’s moving parts. Take it off or, if it’s your hair, tie it up before climbing into the cab. If your tractor doesn’t have a cab you’ll want to be especially careful. It’s common for debris to be kicked up and hit the operator. Wear thick pants such as jeans and durable close-toed shoes. If you’d like you can even wear a long sleeve shirt and some protective glasses. Just be sure that your sleeves and pants aren’t baggy!

Now that you’re given your clothes a thorough inspection you’ll also want to inspect your gear. Be sure that safety features like lights, seatbelts, and mirrors are functioning properly and have been adjusted. Take a quick walk around your tractor and make sure there are no nearby puddles that might indicate a leaking part. Give the wheels or tracks a quick check for damage and ensure that there are no breaks, cracks, or punctures. Finally, if your tractor has any attachments be sure that they’re working properly. If they are not, you may need to service them or remove them. 

Driving 

Once you’re got your tractor started you’ll want to keep a few safe driving techniques in mind as you operate your machine. Keep your eyes on the terrain in front of you while keeping careful watch for obstacles and objects in your path. Drive carefully and make wide turns to avoid rollovers. As you accelerate and stop be sure to press down on the pedals of your tractor at a steady rate. You’re driving a powerful piece of equipment and it isn’t wise to jerk it to a stop. 

Rollovers

Rollovers are responsible for around half of all tractor accidents. A rollover will damage not only your equipment and property, but will likely result in an injury as well. To avoid a rollover be sure to use some of the safe driving techniques above, such as taking wide turns and accelerating and decelerating slowly. Most importantly avoid going over extremely bumpy and rough terrain. Be sure not to climb steep hills or slopes with your tractor or you may roll backward. 

We hope this guide has been helpful in teaching you some of the basics of tractor safety. If you’re located nearby in the cities of Farmington and Park Hills, Montana we hope you’ll stop by Flieg's Equipment for all of your tractor needs!